The booming black market amidst the Sudan armed conflict

(18 December 2023) During the more than seven months of deadly conflict between the nation’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary and its allied militia have been accused of looting homes, hospitals, shops, convoys, companies, and warehouses among others. Goods looted are sold at markets referred to as “Shefshefa markets”by smugglers where they are sold by black-market traders.

Shefshefa is a slung referring to a thief and/or the act of stealing or looting private and public property. This is a commonly used word by the Sudanese people including SAF, RSF, allied militias, and civilians.

The word Shefshefa became popular after the outbreak of the current armed conflict in Sudan. Because the majority of the military bases are located within or near the residential areas, civilians are vulnerable to theft and looting by soldiers, RSF, and militia during or after a gunfight thus popularizing the term.

In the Shefshefa markets, one can find everything ranging from televisions, radios to second-hand cars, air conditioning units, chairs, beds, and wooden cabinets cheaply. These markets can be found in several states across Sudan.

South Darfur

The Shefshefa market in South Darfur was established in mid-June 2023, to deal in items stolen/looted from Nyala in South Darfur and Zalingei in Central Darfur during gunfights between the warring parties. Later, RSF started bringing stolen items from Khartoum to be sold thus expanding the market.

The Kajik Shefshefa market previously known as Al-Mawashei market is located north of Nyala town in South Darfur. In this market, black market traders are buying and selling looted goods including, vehicles and electronics at cheaper prices.

Sometime in August 2023, stolen items including vehicles and electronics were brought in large quantities to Garda market, a new market that had been established in the Al-Andalus neighborhood located South of Nyala town.

Testimonies

ACJPS was able to talk to some black-market traders from different markets about the trade;

Mr. Khalid (not real name (a businessman in the Kajik market had this to say to ACJPS.

“I usually buy household and office furniture at low prices and revamp them before taking them back to the market to sell at double the purchase price. For example, I once sold a cupboard at 90,000 Sudanese pounds (approximately 88 USD) that I had bought at 45,000 Sudanese Pounds (approximately 44 USD)”. He added that he engages in such business because there are no alternative jobs due to the war.

Mr. Alfadil one of the main dealers in Gadrah market boastfully shared that “we do receive items like used household furniture from the Shefshefas at lower prices and sell them at high prices to get profits. Sometimes the shefshefas come and tell us that the items are in abandoned residences and we go with them to the residence, look at the items, negotiate prices, and transport the said items to the market for sale,”. He said that most of the items brought to the market are from Nyala. He also gave a breakdown of the prices of some items before and during the war;

1. Movable wardrobes; are currently sold at 35,000 Sudanese Pounds (34 USD) but before the war they were sold at 15,000 (14USD) Sudanese Pounds
2. Office cabinets; priced at 150,0000 SDG (148USD)
3. Nesma air conditioner is currently sold at between 40,000 to 50,000 Sudanese Pounds and before the war, it was at 25,000 Sudanese Pounds
4. A Dozen of plastic chairs are currently sold for 35,000 Sudanese Pounds but before the war, it was at 30,000 Sudanese Pounds
5. A 42-inch Television set is currently at between 40,000 to 50,000 Sudanese Pounds. The price before the war was 15,000 Sudanese Pounds

Mr. Ibrahim a car dealer told ACJPS that “there are no fixed prices for stolen vehicles as the price depends on the model, country and year of manufacture of the vehicle and the negotiating power of the willing buyer”. He went ahead and gave the current prices of some vehicles as listed below;

1. Hyundai Click model 2006 manufactured in Korea is sold at 20,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (19,762 USD)
2. Avanty 2011 model is currently sold at 10,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (9881 USD)
3. Tuscon 2010 model manufactured in Korea. The current market price is 30,000,000 Sudanese Pounds
4. Tuktuk (Raksha) 2010 model from India. The current market price to 5,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (29,644 USD)
5. Toyota Hilux Pickup 2020 Model from Japan. Price ranges between 45,000,000 ( to 50,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (49407 USD)
6. Toyota Hilux Pickup 2022 Model from Japan currently retails at between 60,000,000 (59,288USD) to 70,000,000 Sudanese Pounds
7. Land Cruiser V8 from Japan currently retails at 100,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (98,814USD)
8. Canter Mitsubishi pickup from Japan is currently sold at 3,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (2,964 USD)

West Darfur

A large number of stolen vehicles arrived in West Darfur State from Khartoum during the gunfights between RSF and its allied militia including Arabs, Zagawa, Mimi, and Bargo tribes against SAF in June 2023 after the killing of Gen. Khamis Abakar, the Governor of West Darfur and chairperson of SPLM/ Sudan Alliance. The car dealers in West Darfur are mostly from Chad and some from Sudan.

Most times, vehicles are brought into Sudan through the Adaconey area near Adari town in Chad and payment can made either in Chadian Frank or Sudanese Pounds.

The vehicles are mostly stolen from private companies, international NGOs, and government institutions. Examples of vehicles and current market prices are;

• Toyota Land Cruiser 2023 model; the current market price is 30,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (29,644 USD)
• Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2015 model is currently priced between 13,000,000 (12,845) to 15,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (14,822 USD)
• Toyota Hilux pickup 2023 model 25,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (24,703 USD)

At the beginning of the war, the car business was booming with some businessmen selling up to ten vehicles a day but since November 2023, the market has been emptied.

North Darfur

Wagner market in Mallie Locality: Mallie locality is located 70 kilometers north of Elfashir, the capital of North Darfur State. The locality hosts the land board offices and customs points at the border. Mallie locality is occupied by two main tribes i.e the Berti which is the largest group in North Darfur who practice agriculture and pastoralism, and the Al-Ziyadiyya tribe who are mainly camel herders.

After the outbreak of the war, a new market known as the Wagner market was established in Mallie for dealing in vehicles that had been looted from war-torn areas within Sudan. Vehicles from Libya continue to access Sudan through Al-Malha.The Al-Malha area was turned into customs point in 2014 although it is not stipulated in the Sudanese Customs Law of 1994. Al-Malha has been used as an entry and exit point for vehicles and people into Sudan from Libya.

In September 2023, ACJPS researcher/monitor accessed the Mallie market and found at least 23 vehicles that were available for sale and several buyers dressed in plain clothes. The monitor also observed that the majority of buyers were from the Al-zayadia tribe from Un Saiala in Kutom and others from the Kankabia area. While the main dealers/sellers were Chadian and Libyan businessmen. He also observed that there were three Canter pickups vehicles (Japanese model) with the Coca-Cola company and Ele Group Logos that no one showed interest in buying. He added that the Chadian businessmen access the Mallie market through the border town of Altina and the Um-Jaras area back to Chad. He also provided details of the business in the market;

1. The Toyota Hilux Pickup 2022 model is priced at 80,000,000 Sudanese Pounds (79,051 USD)
2. Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is priced at 80,000,000 Sudanese Pounds(79,051 USD)
3. The Iveco head track goes for 20 million Sudanese Pounds

Codes and new vocabulary

The current war in Sudan has introduced new vocabulary and codes used by the warring parties as influenced by other cultures. Examples of these are;

• Bl; a code used by SAF during a gunfight as a signal to continue fighting
• JGM; a code used by RSF to continue fighting
• Daama; is used by SAF to describe RSF fighters. The Arabic translation of the word Daam is Support,
• RSF on the other hand, uses the words Abuldah Umgash to describe SAF soldiers. These are words borrowed from nomads from Darfur to refer to a soldier.
• RSF also uses the term Blabsa to refer to SAF affiliates
• While SAF uses Awlad Abok to refer to RSF affiliates. This term is borrowed from nomads from the Kordofan Region.